Feb 1, 2008
Bye-Bye, Kevin
By Penny Pollack & Jeff Ruby
Kevin (9 W. Hubbard St.; 312-595-0055), after six years in River North, is closing. "There are too many Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, too many Januarys and Julys and Augusts," said Kevin and Alan Shikami, the owners, in an e-mail. "You wait for the business to come back, but the years pass and the sales decline. We have put the restaurant on the market and at the end of February we will close the doors." This is sad news, especially from a restaurant that we named one of Chicago's best new spots in Best New Restaurants (May 2002), but at least the brothers Shikami still have their seven-month-old Shikago (190 S. LaSalle; 312-781-7300). Expect a month of celebrations at Kevin, say the Shikamis: "We will discount our wonderful things, to encourage the public to come and drink our cellar."
Posted at 12:01 PM in Dish | Permalink
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Reader Comments:
This is a shame but they are responsible for their own demise. Once a very satisfied regular, things got lax as they became more and more successful. After a miss or two, you can chalk it up to a bad night. But when service and food execution drops consistently, from its previously high levels, you tend to move on. A victim of its own standards. Too bad. We do not have enough imaginative creations that still maintain the kind of integrity that Kevin did in its prime. All in an intimate environment. As unfair as it would seem, this is the toughest business around and there are other options. However, not too many like Kevin was in its heyday. Good luck Alan and Kevin. Anything else you put out there, I will surely try. Thanks for some spectacular years and all your efforts.
It is indeed a sad day when talented chefs have to close their namesake restaurants. Kevin is the best of the best. His flavors, creative components and talent will be sorely missed. I never or rarely saw the restaurant advertise, offer specials, self-promote or become involved in any other restaurant-related promotion (i.e fundraisers, chef dinners, etc.). Word-of-mouth and talent are not enough to make it. Chicago is fast becoming one of the world's culinary destinations and there is a lot of competition to serve these savvy gourmands. Pride goes before the fall....